Four days. Three operations. Sixteen Children Now Safe.

Armed with a search warrant, officers from the Philippine National Police intended only to look through 71-year-old Herman Arnett Ross’s Angeles City apartment. Police were investigating allegations against Ross, an American living in Pampanga, for child trafficking crimes.

But when officers uncovered evidence that Ross was seeking to sexually exploit a teenage girl, they quickly mobilized to arrest him.

The U.S. FBI first alerted Philippine law enforcement to Ross’ suspicious conduct. He is suspected of producing sexually explicit content with children, and he was found in possession of such content upon his arrest.

Ross’s arrest comes just days after IJM’s team in the Philippines supported a string of successful operations. On Saturday, police rescued 15 children across the country, and arrested three other suspected traffickers. The rescued survivors range in age from 9 to 17 years old. They are now in the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, where they’ll receive the care that they need to heal from their abuse, including trauma therapy.

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Donors in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom: by making a donation you agree that we may transfer your personal information to our IJM advancement office in your country. That advancement office may contact you about future donations or for other fundraising purposes.